


I'm Fine

by Akiko_Natsuko



Series: Stingue [21]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Friendship/Love, Hurt/Comfort, Illnesses, Lies, M/M, Sick Character, pretending to be fine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-07
Updated: 2020-06-07
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:01:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24597163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akiko_Natsuko/pseuds/Akiko_Natsuko
Summary: Rogue is terrible at admitting that he isn't fine, unfortunately for him Sting is well versed in dealing with a sick Rogue.
Relationships: Rogue Cheney/Sting Eucliffe
Series: Stingue [21]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1188727
Comments: 3
Kudos: 56
Collections: I Take Pride in What I Am 2020





	I'm Fine

**Author's Note:**

> Please note that if you want to talk to me about my fics and writing, or anime/shows/games in general then you can now find me on discord [The Unholy Trinity](https://discord.gg/6sSddAWa5c).

Sting frowned as he watched Rogue nursing his untouched coffee. It wouldn’t be the first time that his partner had dozed off again at the breakfast table. There had been a memorable incident a few weeks ago when Rogue had face-planted into his plate, catapulting eggs and bacon every which way, with Lector and Frosch gleefully stealing the sudden feast as Sting had rolled around in stitches. This was different, although he couldn’t put his finger on why. Sure, Rogue wasn’t asleep, unless he had learnt how to sleep with his eyes open, which Sting hoped he hadn’t because that would be creepy as hell in bed, but he seemed like he was a million miles away.

“Rogue?” He called, putting down his own nearly empty mug. Nothing, Rogue’s attention didn’t waver from the mug in his hands, and there was nothing to show he had even heard Sting, who scowled and straightened. “Oi, Rogue?!” He repeated, much louder this time, making Lector jump and glare at him before stalking across to join Frosch who was sprawled on the sofa, but Sting paid the cats no mind because Rogue’s reaction was…odd. He had jumped too, as though Sting had just jolted him out of his thoughts, but it was stilted and sluggish like there was a disconnect between everything. Sting winced, as the coffee went flying across the table as Rogue looked up at him wide-eyed and suspiciously flushed, and the spilt drink was immediately forgotten as he studied his partner.

“W-what?” Rogue asked, and Sting’s eyes narrowed further as he caught the faint rasp to his partner’s voice. Now that he thought about it, it had been there when they’d first got up, but he’d dismissed it normal early morning croakiness, but now he wasn’t so sure. “Sting?” Rogue demanded when he didn’t get a response, blinking at him in confusion when Sting sighed and closed the distance between them. “What are you…?” He trailed off as Sting reached out and pressed a hand to his forehead, just long enough to feel the heat there before Rogue pushed him away with an irritated huff. “I’m fine.”

“I didn’t say anything,” Sting pointed out, somewhat smug, although there was concern in his eyes as he studied Rogue, taking in the flushed cheeks, the warmth that lingered on his fingers. “But, now that you mention it you do seem a little…”

“Tired,” Rogue cut him off, a little too forcefully and Sting lifted an eyebrow and stared at him. “I didn’t sleep well that’s all, I just need my coffee, and then I will be good to go.”

“The coffee you were staring at? And that you just spilt all over the table?”

“I…” Rogue looked down at the mess he had caused, seemingly taken aback at the sight which did nothing for Sting’s rising worry. “I will just grab one on the way,” he muttered, standing up and taking a moment too long to let go of the chair for Sting’s comfort, but before he could say as much, Rogue was gone, retreating into the bedroom to get ready, leaving Sting staring after him.

“Fine, my ass…” He muttered, before going to fetch a towel to mop up the mess that Rogue had abandoned, trying to work out how to keep his stubborn boyfriend from going to work when he clearly needed to be tucked up in bed for the day, already knowing that it wasn’t going to be pretty.

*

When Rogue eventually emerged from the bedroom, Sting was somewhat surprised to see that he had done a passable job of dressing normally. Remembering the last time his partner had been ill and had found his way into the corner of the wardrobe where they’d stashed the costumes from Minerva’s Halloween party. Worse had been trying to convince him that he really couldn’t go to work half-dressed as a vampire in the middle of summer. However, he also seemed to have lost some colour during the process, making the flush in his cheeks stand out more vividly and Sting stepped into his path as Rogue made a beeline for the door, clearly trying to avoid this conversation. “Rogue,” Sting warned when Rogue tried to side-step him, forcing his boyfriend to look up at him.

“What?” Rogue snapped.

_Add ‘cranky’ to the list of symptoms,_ Sting thought with a sigh, upping the difficulty of convincing Rogue to stay home to severe. “You should take the day off, you’ve clearly come down with something,” he said, deciding there was no point in beating around the bush with Rogue already set to cranky, realising that might have been a mistake as Rogue glowered at him.

“I’m fine.”

“You’re lying,” Sting said flatly, folding his arms, and staring at Rogue until his partner looked down, ears turning red as they always did when he was trying to lie.

“Sting…” Rogue’s tone had shifted, turning to something softer and almost pleading and Sting cursed, feeling himself beginning to melt before he reminded himself why he was doing this and scowled at Rogue.

“Not a chance.”

“There’s no one else to cover, and Yukino would be on her own,” Rogue tried after a minute, realising that tactic wasn’t going to work.

“I texted Yukino,” Sting said, feeling a little smug when Rogue gaped at him. Apparently, that hadn’t occurred to him, and Sting used the moment to step a little closer. “She’s asked Sorano to help out after she’s done with her classes, so she will only be on her own until eleven-ish, and she said and I quote ‘if he turns up, I am wrapping him up in a blanket and calling Minerva to drive him home.’” Rogue had looked almost unfazed until Sting had mentioned Minerva and then he blanched, as they had both been on the other end of her ‘mothering’ at times. It was scarier than when she was ripping them a new one, and Sting sensed that he was close to capitulating and so he took the chance to reach out and pull Rogue into a loose hug, wincing as he felt the heat coming from him.

“Sting…”

“Shh, let me take care of you for once, okay?” Sting murmured, cutting off the soft protest. “We’ll curl up on the sofa, let Frosch drool all over you and watch a movie, okay?” Getting Rogue back into bed was a whole other fight, and Sting had learned the hard way that it was easier just to set him up on the couch, let the cats curl up with him, and watch Rogue fall asleep before the title even played.

He knew that he had won when Rogue leaned into him, pressing his overheated forehead against Sting’s shoulder and sighed. “I don’t feel fine,” he admitted in a small voice, making it sound as though he was confessing a great secret, rather than confirming what Sting already knew and Sting had to bite back a chuckle. Instead, he tightened his arms and pressed a kiss into the dark hair.

“I know,” he murmured. “But thank you for admitting it,” he added, wanting to discourage a repeat of this situation, although he already knew it would happen again. Rogue was too stubborn to change his ways, and Sting loved him for it, even if it did drive him up the wall at times.


End file.
